Dubstep in North America today largely revolves around the burgeoning “brostep” subgenre–a reference to the increasingly mainstream nature of productions with their hip-hop style vocals, mid-range oscillations and less of those truly sub-bass frequencies. The genre has truly grown a life of its own on this side of the pond; guys like Skrillex are tearing it up with their glitzy new brand of dubstep and we, for the most part, are loving it.

Meet a producer that has come along and shown that it can all be done so differently–Starkey, a dubstep producer from Philadelphia. Before you make the connection, the answer is yes: Starkey is a close associate of the creators of the Philly-based Luvstep compilations, and has made stunning appearances on both volumes. His sound differs radically from the filthy destruction of fellow north Americans Excision or Bassnectar–Starkey is all about the atmosphere and funk, and the “purple” flavors of UK street bass like Joker.

Many Luvstep listeners consider Paradise to be the crowning jewel of the second volume. With a soft beat, sweet voice and seductive bass, it doesn’t get much more soulful than this. Starkey’s brand of bass is overflowing with nuance and melody, even when it’s on the heavier side–just listen to the instrumental Multidial. Finally, get a touch of Starkey’s expertly crafted street rhythm with Club Games.